Regional Transportation: Going Home & Great Escapes

The UCSB community is served by three airports within 100 miles or so of campus. Leave your car behind if you have one, so that you can enjoy your trip to the airport with a minimum of stress and avoid parking fees.

Santa Barbara Airport (SBA). Santa Barbara’s local airport occupies the same spit of land as UCSB — at 500 Fowler Road, it’s no more than minutes away from the campus and Isla Vista. The airport is served by five major airlines, five non-stop destinations, and more than 200 one-stop destinations. Drive to the airport with a friend, get on board MTD bus #11, or call a taxi.

Burbank Bob Hope Airport (BUR) is located 99 miles to the south-east of campus. If you’re planning distant travel and live in greater Los Angeles, you just might consider flying out of Burbank Airport instead of LAX. The airport offers non-stop service to ten western cities and New York. Get on an Amtrak train for the trip to the airport.

Santa Barbara is an Amtrak town. You can board a train from an Amtrak station in downtown Santa Barbara or Goleta. View our Commute by Rail page for more information and directions to the Amtrak stations. Be sure to register at Santa Barbara Car Free for a discount on your train fare (15% or 20% value). Three day advance purchase is required.

For classic travel, you can’t beat Greyhound. Take advantage of their road rewards, deals and discounts. The Greyhound terminal is at 224 Chapala Street, close by the Santa Barbara Amtrak station. Have a friend drive you to the terminal or take MTD bus #15x. Arrive in style by taxi.

Metropolitan Transit District (MTD) buses are your best resource for getting around town car-free. MTD buses will take your bike on board at no extra charge (what a sweet deal). Buses run regular trips to regional transportation hubs: Santa Barbara Airport, Santa Barbara Airbus, and others mentioned on this page. Riders from UCSB can learn more about the mighty MTD on our MTD page.